Support structures on roofs
DCFirst Claim
1. A roof adaptive system configured to be installed about an aperture in a metal roof, such metal roof comprising a plurality of roof panels, having lengths and widths, such roof panels being arranged side by side, edges of adjacent such roof panels meeting at elevated rib structure portions thereof thereby to define elevated roof panel ribs, panel flats being disposed between such roof panel ribs, a given such roof panel rib comprising a rib shoulder, and a standing seam extending up from such shoulder, said roof adaptive system comprising a load support structure having a length, and being configured to be supported by first and second ones of the elevated roof panel ribs and to extend about such aperture and across a such panel flat, from rib to rib, between said first and second ribs, said load support structure comprising:
- (a) first and second rails, having lengths, and being configured to be mounted to first and second ones of such roof panel ribs at such rib shoulders, and to extend upwardly from such rib shoulders alongside and above such standing seams, thus to define opposing sides of said load support structure; and
(b) end elements configured to extend between adjacent ends of said first and second rails, thus to define ends of said load support structure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention provides support structures on roofs. Such support structure can be used to support a roof load, or a closure structure which closes an aperture in the roof, thus to provide access to the interior of a building through an aperture in the roof. The support structure can support a skylight to provide natural day-lighting, or a smoke vent, or a variety of other loads optionally relating to matter or energy communication between the inside and outside of the building. The support structure includes rails adapted to be supported by adjacent rib elevations on opposite sides of a flat of a roof panel, elevated above the water line of the panel flat. Where the support structure surrounds an aperture, a diverter seals a cut away portion of the rib structure and diverts water through the rib structure and laterally away from the rail and closure structure.
77 Citations
67 Claims
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1. A roof adaptive system configured to be installed about an aperture in a metal roof, such metal roof comprising a plurality of roof panels, having lengths and widths, such roof panels being arranged side by side, edges of adjacent such roof panels meeting at elevated rib structure portions thereof thereby to define elevated roof panel ribs, panel flats being disposed between such roof panel ribs, a given such roof panel rib comprising a rib shoulder, and a standing seam extending up from such shoulder, said roof adaptive system comprising a load support structure having a length, and being configured to be supported by first and second ones of the elevated roof panel ribs and to extend about such aperture and across a such panel flat, from rib to rib, between said first and second ribs, said load support structure comprising:
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(a) first and second rails, having lengths, and being configured to be mounted to first and second ones of such roof panel ribs at such rib shoulders, and to extend upwardly from such rib shoulders alongside and above such standing seams, thus to define opposing sides of said load support structure; and (b) end elements configured to extend between adjacent ends of said first and second rails, thus to define ends of said load support structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A building, comprising:
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(a) a building structural support system; (b) a sloping roof supported by said building structural support system, said sloping roof comprising a plurality of elongate roof panels arranged side by side, said roof panels having lengths, edges of adjacent said roof panels meeting at elevated rib structure portions thereof, thereby to define elevated ribs, having lengths, panel flats being disposed between said elevated ribs; and (c) a roof adaptive system comprising (i) an aperture in said roof, such aperture having a length and being confined within a given said roof panel, first and second ones of said ribs extending alongside such aperture, and (ii) a load support structure extending about such aperture, said load support structure comprising A. first and second elongate rails extending alongside such aperture, said first and second rails being mounted, to said first and second on opposing sides of such aperture, at multiple locations along the lengths of said ribs, and B. end closures at upper and lower ends of said load support structure, said end closures extending between said first and second rails. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A building comprising:
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(a) a building structural support system; (b) a sloping roof supported by said building structural support system, said sloping roof comprising a plurality of elongate roof panels arranged side by side, said roof panels having lengths, edges of adjacent said roof panels meeting at elevated rib structure portions thereof, whereby said roof panels thereby define elevated roof panel ribs, having lengths, panel flats being disposed between said elevated roof panel ribs, and (c) a load support structure, having a length, extending along the lengths of first and second ones of said roof panel ribs, said load support structure comprising first and second rails having lengths extending in a same direction as the lengths of said roof panel ribs, first and second ones of said roof panel ribs underlying, and supporting, said first and second rails on opposing sides of a given said panel flat. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. A building, comprising:
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(a) a building structural support system; (b) a sloping roof supported by said building structural support system, said sloping roof comprising a plurality of elongate roof panels arranged side by side, said roof panels having lengths, edges of adjacent said roof panels meeting at elevated rib structure portions thereof, thereby to define elevated ribs, having lengths, panel flats being disposed between said elevated ribs; and (c) a roof adaptive system comprising (i) an aperture in said roof, such aperture having a length and being confined within a given said roof panel, first and second ones of said ribs extending alongside such aperture, and (ii) a load support structure extending about such aperture, said load support structure comprising A. first and second elongate rails extending alongside such aperture, first and second ones of said ribs underlying, and supporting, said first and second rails on opposing sides of such aperture, and B. end closures at upper and lower ends of said load support structure, said end closures extending between said first and second rails. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A building, comprising:
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(a) a building structural support system; (b) a sloping roof supported by said building structural support system, said sloping roof comprising a plurality of elongate roof panels arranged side by side, edges of adjacent said roof panels meeting at elevated rib structure portions thereof, thereby to define elevated ribs, panel flats being disposed between said elevated ribs; and (c) a roof adaptive system comprising (i) an aperture in said roof, such aperture having a length, first and second ones of said ribs extending alongside such aperture, and (ii) a load support structure extending about such aperture, said load support structure comprising A. first and second elongate rails extending alongside such aperture, said first and second rails being mounted to said first and second ribs on opposing sides of such aperture, and B. end closures, at upper and lower ends of said load support structure, extending between said first and second rails, a diversion slot extending across one of said first and second ribs adjacent a such panel flat at, and extending away from, an end of said load support structure, and at an elevation of the respective panel flat. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A building, comprising:
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(a) a building structural support system; (b) a sloping roof supported by said building structural support system, said sloping roof comprising a plurality of elongate roof panels arranged side by side, said roof panels having lengths, edges of adjacent said roof panels meeting at elevated rib structure portions thereof, thereby to define elevated roof panel ribs, panel flats being disposed between said elevated roof panel ribs; and (c) a roof adaptive system comprising (i) an aperture in said roof, such aperture having a length, first and second ones of said ribs extending alongside such aperture, and (ii) a load support structure extending about such aperture, said load support structure comprising A. first and second elongate rails extending alongside such aperture, first and second ones of said roof panel ribs underlying, and supporting, said first and second rails along full lengths of said first and second rails, and B. end closures, at upper and lower ends of said load support structure, extending between said first and second rails.
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58. A metal roof, such metal roof comprising a plurality of metal roof panels, having lengths and widths, such roof panels being arranged side by side, edges of adjacent such roof panels meeting at elevated rib structure portions thereof thereby to define elevated roof panel ribs, panel flats being disposed between such roof panel ribs, each such roof panel rib extending in a first direction and comprising a rib shoulder, and a standing seam extending up from such rib shoulder and extending in the first direction, said metal roof comprising a roof adaptive system, said roof adaptive system comprising:
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(a) an aperture extending through said roof, and defining a passage between an interior of such building and an ambient environment outside such building, first and second ones of said ribs extending alongside, and on opposing sides of, such aperture; and (b) a load support structure, said load support structure being supported by ones of said elevated roof panel ribs and extending about such aperture, said load support structure comprising (i) first and second rails, mounted to first and second ones of said roof panel ribs at the respective said first and second rib shoulders, and extending upwardly from said first and second rib shoulders and extending in the first direction alongside and above the respective said first and second standing seams; and (ii) end closures extending between adjacent ends of said first and second rails and thus defining ends of said load support structure. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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Specification